Linger On
by LuNa LoVeGoOd-PoTtEr
Summary: Harry realizes his true feelings too late. HL one-shot


**Author's Note**: Wow...Okay the other day I was checking my stats and I noticed I was on the Favorite's List of 12 people! That's amazing! I do like to write, but without your encouragement I probably wouldn't find time for it in my annoyingly busy schedule. Thanks for encouraging me to do what I love! This story is dedicated to you. To be more specific...It is dedicated to Princess of the Moon, rubyqueen17, Luna Lovegood6, LunaShadows, AnimagusIsy, TopazDragon, Vogrin, Aragon, winky-wink, tigerlily98, Rosa-Le-Fay, and AbstractBalance05. Thank you so much for your support. Don't forget to leave a review, as always!

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter and all other related subject matter belongs to J.K. Rowling. Pale Blue Eyes was a song performed by Velvet Underground and written by Lou Reed. Have no fear if you have never heard of this band or artist, not many have. I recommend you check him out though.

Harry Potter looked up from his seated position as he heard a knock at his door. He put down his paper and got up to let in his caller. After Ron and Hermione got married and Neville and Luna realized their friendship was actually more than friendship, he was left living by himself. He liked it sometimes. He did enjoy his solidarity. But often he would tend to feel a little bit lonely, being left to just his thoughts. Harry's thoughts could be quite tormenting sometimes.

_Sometimes I feel so happy  
__sometimes I feel so sad  
__Sometimes I feel so happy  
__but mostly you just make me mad  
__Baby, you just make me mad_

As he reached for the doorknob, the door flew open and he had to jump back to stop himself from getting hit with it. Luna Lovegood sauntered in. Harry shouldn't have been surprised. Luna dropped in quite often to check on him. They had grown quite close during the war and remained great friends afterwards. Luna closed the door behind her, gave him a light kiss on the cheek in greeting, walked past him and threw herself on the couch. She closed her eyes as she settled deeper into the cozy cushions. Harry leaned on the archway entrance to his living room and took this opportunity to take in her appearance. She was wearing a pair of muggle jeans and a t-shirt. Her t-shirt was black with about twenty identical faces covering it. He didn't recognize the face. Luna had a habit of wearing muggle concert shirts. Another one of her quirks. She had her wand tucked behind her ear, as always. When he was younger he never understood why she choose to put her wand there. But after witnessing how fast she was able to produce her wand and shoot a hex, he never questioned it again. She was also wearing her trademark necklace and today her earrings were made of what appeared to be acorns. As Harry studied Luna, she opened one of her blue eyes to look at him.

_Linger on your pale blue eyes  
Linger on your pale blue eyes_

"Tea, please." She stated simply. Harry smirked at her and moved away from the living room to make tea. An onlooker may think Luna rude and forward but Harry recognized her bluntness as a sign of how close they really were. Either could state their feelings without being judged by the other. Harry enjoyed the openness of their relationship.

_Thought of you as my mountain top  
thought of you as my peak  
Thought of you as everything  
I've had but couldn't keep  
I've had but couldn't keep_

Harry returned to the living room a few moments later with two cups of tea and some biscuits. He set the tray on the coffee table and took a seat next to Luna. As she reached out for her tea, Harry gasped and grabbed her hand. He pulled her hand close to his face and studied the diamond ring on her ring finger. Luna watched him with mild interest.

"He proposed?" Harry stuttered. Luna nodded as she gently pulled her hand from his grasp. She now successfully got a hold of her tea and took a sip. Harry fell back against the couch and covered his eyes with his hands. If Luna was aware of his disappointment, she showed no sign of it. She continued to sip her tea and nibbled on a biscuit.

Harry had always thought Luna and Neville's relationship as puppy love. He never thought they would actually last. He guessed that he was always able to ignore their closeness and just brush it off as friendship. But here was Luna, sitting here, properly engaged. Harry could not explain the rage that had bubbled up to his throat when he realized that Luna was engaged. Luna was engaged. To Neville. He sighed loudly. Luna turned to him. Her doe eyes widened with curiosity.

_Linger on your pale blue eyes  
__Linger on your pale blue eyes_

Harry just shook his head at her. This was one time he couldn't express how he felt to Luna. He was being selfish. She was not his. She never belonged to him.

_If I could make the world as pure  
and strange as what I see  
I'd put you in a mirror  
I put in front of me  
I put in front of me_

After finishing her tea, Luna stood up and brushed the crumbs off her jeans. Harry could tell that their visit was over. He stood up and watched as she skipped towards the door. Harry sighed again and followed her. She opened the door and turned to say goodbye to him. She threw her arms around his neck and he placed his around her slim waist. Luna didn't seem to notice the tightness of his hug or that it lasted a little longer than usual. As she pulled away, she gave him another kiss on the cheek. Before turning to leave, she studied his eyes with her own. Harry knew that she was searching for any indication on how he was feeling. But Harry knew she wouldn't discover how he felt. He had become quite good at masking his emotions, even to her. She eventually gave up and turned away.

_Linger on your pale blue eyes  
__Linger on your pale blue eyes_

Harry closed the door and watched as she skipped down the steps and out of his yard. He continued to watch until she was out of sight. At that point, he turned his back to the door. He felt his knees buckle and he slid to the ground. Harry buried his face in his hands.

_Skip a life completely  
stuff it in a cup  
She said money is like us in time  
it lies but can't stand up  
Down for you is up_

A few weeks later, there was another knock at the door. The routine was nearly the same. Luna came in and they drank tea. She was more talkative today. She spoke of nargles and the danger of mistletoe. Harry smiled to himself as she spoke.

After awhile, there was another knock on the door. Harry got up to usher the person into his home. As he opened the door, he felt paralyzed for a moment. As he regained movement, he stepped aside to let Neville enter his house. Luna jumped up off the couch when she realized who had entered. She waltzed over to the entrance to the living room. She threw her arms around Neville's neck and he lifted her slightly off her feet. She giggled and leaned down to plant a firm kiss on his lips.

Harry turned away and tried to will down the jealousy and anger that were clawing their way to the surface. Suddenly, he thought of a plan. As Neville and Luna continued to greet each other, Harry cleared his throat and glanced at his watch. Neville spun around and took the hint quite easily. He said a quick goodbye and handed Harry an envelope before heading out the door. Luna whispered something to him before he left.

"I have a date." Harry lied. Luna raised an eyebrow at him. He could never lie to her. She always saw right through it. She nodded to the envelope in his hand.

"An invitation to our wedding. We decided to have it sooner rather than later. Daddy had already planned a trip for the summer." She smiled her cryptic grin and winked one of her pretty eyes at him before slipping out the door.

_Linger on your pale blue eyes  
__Linger on your pale blue eyes_

Harry tore up the invitation. But he knew he would attend. He knew he would put on his happy mask. He also knew Luna would see right through it.

_It was good what we did yesterday  
and I'd do it once again  
The fact that you are married  
only proves you're my best friend  
But it's truly, truly a sin_

The ceremony had been beautiful. Luna looked gorgeous. But Harry expected no less. He was at the reception now. Harry was part of the celebration physically, but not mentally. He watched as Luna made her way around the room. She danced with her father, with Ron, with Fred, with Charlie, and of course with Neville. He couldn't believe she had gone through with it. He couldn't believe he had let her. Harry could remember being warned that someone would come by and snatch Luna up if he wasn't careful. He laughed bitterly when he remembered Neville was the one who had warned him.

He was too involved in his own thoughts that he didn't notice her approach. Luna took his larger in her smaller one. She tugged lightly and he willingly followed her outside. Outside was a beautiful garden. Luna gestured towards a bench off from the path. Without thinking, Harry removed his outer robes and covered the bench so her dress wouldn't get defaced. She gracefully sat on the bench and Harry plopped down next to her. Luna moved closer to him and leaned her head on his shoulder and Harry could feel her shivering. He put an arm protectively around her. After sitting in a comfortable silence, Luna turned to him.

"Harry, is there something you want to tell me?"

"Yes, Luna...I...never mind." His mind, his heart and his soul screamed the words he knew he would never say. Harry continued to stare into her pale blue eyes, repeating those three little words over and over in his head with his very being. I love you...I love you...I love you...

_Linger on your pale blue eyes  
__Linger on your pale blue eyes_

**Author's Note:** Okay...so this didn't turn out as good as I had hoped. So sue me. I like this song and really wanted to write a story about it. By the way, the black t-shirt with the heads on it that Luna wore...that's based on a Lou Reed shirt I own. Review please!


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